Improvement in valve-gears for combined high and low pressure engines



' 2Sheets--Sheetl. T. L. JONES 82. A. PAULY.

Valve-Gear for Combined High and Low Pressure Engines. N0.148,565.Patented March 17.1874.

WITNESSES 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

T. L. J0 N ES & A. PAULY.

Valve-Gear for Com hined High and Low Prassure Engines.

Patented March 17. 1874.

WITNESSES INVE/VTQR THOMAS L. JONES, or NATOHEZ, MISSISSIPPI, ANDANTHONY PAULY, OF

ATEN'I NEW ORLEANS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD THEIR RIGHT TO THOMAS P.LEATHERS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN VALVE-GEARS FOR COMBINED HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent NO- 148565, dated March17,1874; application filed November 13, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS L. JONES, of Natchez, Mississippi, andANTHONY PAULY, of New Orleans, Louisiana, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Combined High and Low Pressure Engines, of which thefollowing is *a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghereby had to the accompaning drawing making part of this specification,in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing connection with mainshaft, and the cam (in dotted lines) thereon. The lifter and valve-stemare down. Fig. 2 shows the lifter and stem raised. Fig. 3 is a top viewof main shaft, cam, and yoke. Fig. 4 is an end elevation, showing ports,relief-valve, and connection with engine. The atmospheric valve isclosed and condenser-valve open. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, thecondenser-valve open. Fig. 6 is a detail, showing valvestem, valves, andsprings. Fig. 7 is a side elevation, showing position of toe andvalve-stem when thown out of connection with lifter.

Like letters indicate like parts.

The present invention is mainly an improvement upon the inventiondescribed in patent granted the said THOMAS L. J ONES, September 14,1869, and numbered 94,891, to which patent reference is hereby made forabetter understanding of the state of the art to which this improvementrelates.

The object of the construction referred to is to provide means wherebythe advantages, respectively, of a high and of a low pressure engine canbe obtained conjointly; and consists mainly in a peculiar constructionby means of which, after the steam at each stroke of the piston has beenexhausted into the open air until the steam-pressure in the exhaust endof the cylinder equals the pressure of the atmosphere, theremainder-viz., one atmosphere is diverted into a condenser. Suchconstruction consists mainly of two valve-chests, arranged side by side,one of which is termed the atmosphericvalve chest, containing anatinospheric valve, not balanced, and the other, termed acondenser-valve chest, containing a condenser-valve, balanced. In eachchest a valve-chest in place of two valve-chests, as-

above described, and in the arrangement of the atmospheric and condenservalves, valveseats, and stem therein. It further consists in the meansemployed in operating the valves. It further consists in the provisionfor the liberation of the steam in the event of accident, allsubstantially as is hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the improved valve-chest,consisting of a chamber, preferably resting on top of the cylinder,between its side pipes, and connected, as shown in Fig. 4, with theexhaust side pipe, at any preferable point therein between the positionsof the ordinary valves employed in exhausting the steam from the engine.

Although adapted to engines of various constructions, the invention, asshown in the drawing, is arranged, in manner found convenient, inconnection with engines in use on steamers on the western rivers. Insuch use, the engine is arranged horizontally, or nearly so, and isprovided with a steam and with an exhaust side pipe, which side pipesextend longitudinally on either side, near the top of the cylinder. Inthese side pipes, and arranged near the ends thereof, puppet-valves,suitably operating, respectively admit the live steam into, anddischarge the exhaust steam from, the cylinder.

Although the present invention necessarily operates in connectionwithsuch puppet-valves, and with the piston in the cylinder, suchlastmentioned parts have not been shown, nor has the steam side pipe, astheir construction and operation are well understood, it being intendedthat the said invention shall be used incon- FFICE.

nection with the exhaust steam only as it is being liberated by thevalves in the exhaust side pipe.

0 represents a valve-stem, arranged vertically in the chest, andextending sufficiently through and above the top thereof to enable it tobe operated, as hereinafter described. The lower end of the stempreferably extends slightly below the level of the bottom of the chest,and into the chamber connecting the chest with the side pipe of theengine, and is provided with a nut and washer, D. On this stem G arearranged an atmospheric valve, E, and a condenser-valve, F, theformerabove the latter. Both of these valves are balanced, (for thatpurpose being made, respectively, each in two similar parts, 6 e and ffand are similarly arranged loosely on the stem.

The two parts, respectively, of the atmospheric and of the condenservalves are similarly connected by the parts, respectively, 6 and fBetween the lower part, 6 of the atmospheric valve and the upper part,f, of the condenservalve a collar, G, is fastened to the stem by meansof a key. The parts 6 and f that, respectively, connect the two parts ofthe valves, are tubular, and in diameter are sufficiently large toreceive springs H and I, which, respectively, encircle the stem at theupper and at the lower ends thereof. These springs, when uncompressed,extend respectively through the parts 6 and f projecting above theatmospheric valve in the one case, and below the condenser-valve in theother case. The lower spring I rests upon the washer D. Its upper endpresses against the under side of the upper part of the condenservalve.The upper spring H rests upon the lower part of the atmospheric valve.Its upper end presses against the top of the chest. The atmospheric andthe condenser valves, respectively, open and close passages into what weterm the atmospheric and the condenser ports J and K. L represents whatwe term a relief-valve, its general construction resembling that of anordinary safety-valve. It is connected with the valvechest A, preferablyat the side thereof. M represents a lifter, that is operated, through aconnectingrod, by a cam,n, on the main shaft. The movement of the lifterraises a toe, O, which, through a vertical rod, 1, and horizontal arm R,connected with the projecting valve-stem 0 above the chest, raises thevalves. The arm R is connected with the stem by means of jamnuts S S, bymeans whereof the valves can be suitably set. The rod P, both above andbelow, passes through guides T T.

In operation, the steam at each movement of the piston, being liberatedby the ordinary valve in the exhaust side pipe, passes from such sidepipe up into the chamber A, circulating freely around both theatmospheric and condenser ports therein. By means of the liftingmechanism above described, and which has been suitably adjusted, thestem O is caused to rise, and, by means of the collar G,

to lift the atmospheric valve E. Both the atmospheric valve and thecondenser-valve are loose upon the stem. Owing to the action of thespring I, which is arranged so as to bear upward against it, thecondenser-valve is kept closed when the atmospheric valve is open, andthe steam is passing out the atmospheric port J. Sufficient steam havingpassed off to establish an equilibrium between the atmosphere withoutand the steam-pressure .within the chamber A and the engine B, (thevalve in the exhaust side pipe of the engine remaining open meanwhile,)and at the same time the lifter m, the parts operating such lifter beingproperly adjusted therefor being reversed, the stem and atmosphericvalve fall in consequence of their gravity, and close the atmosphericport. Although by this movement the lower end of the spring I has beendepressed, the condenser-valve has not yet opened, owing to theexpansion of the spring I. When, however, the stem has descendedsufficiently to enable the collar G to press down upon thecondenseryalve, (which does notoccur until the atmospheric valve hasclosed,) the latter opens, and the steam-current is then diverted intothe condenser-port K. The stem is then caused to rise, carrying with itthe spring I, which, pressing against the condenser-valve, closes it.The atmospheric valve has not yet opened, as the collar Gr has not yetreached it. hen it does, the atmospheric valve rises, and the operationis repeated. The spring H assists in pressing the atmospheric valvedown. In large engines gravity is sufficient of itself. The liftingmechanism is so adjusted that the atmospheric valve is allowed to fallat about the moment of time when an equilibrium is es tablished betweenthe steam-pressure inside the chest and the atmosphere outside.

It is found, in practice, (the abovedescribed invention having been inuse for a considerable space of time upon the steamer Natchez on thelower Mississippi,) that several impor tant advantages accrue: Owing tothe atmospheric valve being balanced, it can be operated easily andwithout wrenching any part 5 secend, there being two openings into theatmos pheric-port chamber, a large opening is obtained with a slightmovement of the stem; third, the two valves, and all the partsimmediately connected therewith, bein g arran ged on a single stem, andall contained in a single chamber, the general movement is simple andeasy, and the construction economical 5 fourth, the valves being allowedto rotate on the stem, a more even wear upon their seats is insured;fifth, the use of the springs, arranged, as described, around the stemand inside the valves, pro vides a simple and efficient means forsecuring the proper movement of the valves; sixth, extending the springsinto the valves enables a sufficient length of spring to be used;seventh, in combination with the use of a balanced atmospheric valve,the relief-valve af fords an outlet for the steam in case of accident.

By a suitable lever and accompanying lifter,

U, the invention pan be thrown out of gear, and all the exhaust steamcan pass off through the atmospheric port, as in the case of an ordinaryhigh-pressure engine. In connection with this last-mentioned part, theuse of the relief-valve is especially valuable, being both an alarm anda safeguard until the operator has had time to disconnect the parts. 7

Having described our invention, what we claim as new therein, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the valve-chest A, stem 0, valves E and F, collarGr, springs I and H, washer D, and ports J and K, all con- THOS. L.JONES. ANTHONY rAunY.

Witnesses:

SAML. S. BOYD, OHAs. D. MOODY.

